Transfer mechanism for registers



sept. 16. 1924. 1,508,531-

- w. P. QUENTELI..

TRANSFER MECHANI-SM FOR REGISTERS Filed Hay 21. 1923 2 seet-Shet l Sept. 16 .I 1924.

W. P. QUENTELL TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR REGISTERS Filed Hay 21. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 yal 0 16,0 l T11/anton Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE; j

Y WILLIAM r. QUENTELL, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIeNoa TOIQUNNTELL CORPORATION,

or NEW YORK, N.`Y., A CORPORATION oFNEWfYom;l

` i i i TRANSFER MECHANIYSM FOR REGISTERS.

." Application filed May 21,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. QUENTELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York,icounty of New York, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in rTransfer Mechanism for Registers, of which the following is a specification, reference vbeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to transfer or tens carrying `mechanism for registers, and

especially, although not exclusively, to carrying mechanism forvkey set, lever or power operated adding machines, that is to say, adding machines `of the type in which the register is operated to effect the adding, not directly by actuation of the keys, but by independent operating mechanism which moves the register in a manner and to an extent determined by a previous setting of the keys.

In machines of this type, the carrying of the tens from an adding or .registering wheel or element of a lower order to one of the next higher order is usually effected through a cam or equivalent device on or operated by the element of the lower order when it passes through its Zero position, which cam or the like operates al member which' releases themechanism formoving the element of the higher orderone space in order to register the decimal or tens carryover. Mechanism of this character operates quite satisfactorily when the machine is operated slowly, or when the adding wheel of the lower order is moved through a small l' distance only, as from the nine position to the zero position, `but when the machine is'operatedat a high speed and the adding wheel of the lower order is rotated rapidly for a considerable distance (as for example from the Zero position) i-nto its nine position, the cam carried thereby strikes a sharp blow upon its cooperating member, tending to throw the same beyond the cam and releases the carrying mechanism, sothat, unless the parts are very accurately made and adjusted, or the speed regulated, carrying will improperly` take place when the wheel of thelower order is brought to the nine position instead of when it is brought to or through the zero position.

The present invention has for its object to provide a carry control mechanism not 1923. seria1N0.e4o,4a2. i f .i

requiring great accuracy in its` adjustment, or dependentupon speed regulation, but in which4 danger 'of improper carrying,. as above described-is eliminated,and to this end said mechanismfcomprises acarry controlmember for each registering element which is not directly operatedby `.the cam to release the carrying mechanism, but `which is so .arranged `as to release thecarrying mechanismwhenitis itself released by the cam .after having rst been engaged and movedthereby. This operationcan occur at any point .between thefnine` and the zero position of the corresponding adding wheelor equivalent registeringelement, so that the parts can be set with muchless precision than that required inthe Vsetting of mechanism of the type usuallyemployed, `but .will nevertheless act with absolutesaccuracy.v I y i j f The foregoing and other 'obj ects of the invention, togetherwith means whereby the same maybe carried intov eifect,A will best bepunderstood from the following description of one form or embodiment thereof illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.

`Itwill be understood,however, that the particular construction and application o f ,the invention kdescribed and shown has been chosen for illustrative purposes merely, vand that said invention, as defined, by the. claims hereunto appended, may beotherwise practiced without departure `from its `spirit and Scope 5. l -In said,drawings:g,. j q; g

Fig. l is a` front elevation, partly broken away, of aportion of an adding machine embodying the invention. f f .y 4, Fig. Qljis a section I.taken subantially,v on the line 2-2 of Fig. l. y. v l v i Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sections takenl-substantially o-n thelines 3,3 of Fig. 1, show.- ing .theparts in differentpositions assumed thereby `during. the cycle QLoperations of they mechanism, the position ofthe rack, for operating the adding wheelof .the'order next lower than that of ythe number wheel showny beingindicated in .each figure in broken lines. log y' ,1, For convenience, the ter-ms fzeroposition?, one position, eightposition Vnine position, etc. are employed withreference to the adding, wheels to denote` the `angular positions ofsaid wheels, in `accordance with the, arrangement 0f the .machine :inermi-Th the numerals, 0, l, 8, 93, etc. are registered thereby. v

The mechanism embodying the invention is herein shown as forming a portion of an adding machine of well-known type, the details of whichare not shown in full as such parts as are hereinafter referred to but not shown may be of any character or type well known in the art.

The frame of said machine comprises side plates connected and spaced by suitable rods, one of which is indicated at 16. Journalled in the side plates 15 is a main operatingl shaft 17 which is oscillated by a crank or other well-known mechanism at each adding operation and by means of which the various instrumentalitiesof the machine are operated. As herein shown, said shaft 17 carries adjacentl its opposite ends respectively a pair of cams 18 for operating and controlling the carrying mechanism hereinafter described. Each of said cams is formed with relatively low and high concentric portions 181 and 182 separated by a projection 180. Mounted to rock upon the vrod 16 is an adding wheel frame 19 carrying a longitudinal rod 20 upon which are loosely or rotatably mounted the adding Wheels 21. Said adding wheels may be of any desired number, and as yherein shown comprise cuplike members or drums bearing upon their peripheries the several digits from 0 to 9 in series, Veach of said wheels being, in the construction shown,provided with two complete series of digits. Secured to each adding wheel 21 is agear 22 adapted to be engaged and operated by a vertically movable rack 24. The adding wheel frame 19 normally occupies a position in which the gears 22 are held out of mesh with their respective racks 24. Operation of the keys (not shown) of the machine permits the racks 24 to be raised to a greater or less eX- tent, depending upon the particular key or keys depressed. At the end of the forward stroke of the operating mechanism (in the present instance a counter-clockwise movement of the shaft 17 and parts carried thereby) the adding Wheel frame 19 is rocked upon the rod 16 to move the gears 22 into mesh with their respective racks 24. At the beginning of the return stroke of the operating mechanism, the racks 24 are returned to their normal position, thereby turning the gears 22 and number wheels 21 an amount depending upon the previous setting of said racks, as shown in Figure 3. The mechanism thusvfar referred to is well known in the art and will be understood without further description.

Securedto each of the adding wheels 21 at the side thereof adjacent the wheel of next higher order, is an arm 25 having at its end a cam 26 coaxial with said wheel and also rotatably-mounted on the roel 29.Y Each of said cams is formed with two raised portions 260 (corresponding in number to the two series of digits of each number wheel), each of said raised portions being of an angular length corresponding approximately gagement of its gear 22 by a tooth 28() on a carrying member 28, there being a carrying memberA for each wheel and gear. The carrying members 28 are mounted in a frame 29 having end flanges 290 which are secured to the side plates 15 of the machines frame, said frame 29 having also top and bottom flanges 291 and 292 formed with slots in which all of said carrying members, with the exception of that corresponding to the adding wheel of lowest order, are guided for vertical sliding movement. Rods 30 and 31 carried by the frame 29 extend through all of the carrying members 28. The carrying member 28a` corresponding to the adding wheel of lowest order is held in fixed position by said rods, while the remaining carrying members 28 are formed with slots 32 to receive said rods, thereby permitting said members a limited vertical movement. Each of said members 28 (with the exception of the member 28a) is formed on one side with a lug 33 connected by a spring 34 with the upper rod 30, said springs tending normally to move said members upwardly. Said members 28 are normally locked against movement by the springs 34 by means of latches 35 pivotedy upon the rod 31 and engaging lugs 36 projecting from said members at the side opposite the lugs 33. The latches 35 are formed with ears 37 which extend through slots in the frame 29 so as to position said latches laterally on the-rod 31 and are connected by springs 38 with said frame, said springs tending normally to force said latches into engagement with the lugs 36, thereby normally locking the carrying members 28 against upward movement under the influence of their springs 34, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Mounted on a rod 40 in the adding wheel frame 19 is a series of carry control members in the form of yokes 41 corresponding in number and arrangement to the number wheels and connected with the adding Wheel frame 19 by springs 61. Each of said carry control members comprises an arm 410 having an angular end 411 co-operating with the cam 26 of the corresponding number wheel. Each of said carry control members also comprises a linger 412 which extends through a slot 195 in the addingwheel frame and which is adapted, when the end 411 of the arm 410 passes into engagement with a low portion'of the cam 26, to strike the angularly turned end 42 of an arm 43 on the corresponding'latch'3'5 andthereby release lsaid `latchfrointhe lug 36 of lthe corresponding carryingV member 28. j

(3o-operating with the several yokes 41 are latches 44 in the form of yokes mounted on the shaft '16. Each of said latches 44 is formed witha cam'lp'ortion 440`terminating in a toot-h 1.1.41,.w'hichl parts engage' the cross or intermediate l.portions of the yokes 41. The latches 44 are guided-in lslot'sin a bail 45 having'side portions 450 pivoted to the rod 16 and formed withextensions 50 for a purpose hereinafter described. The bail 45 is connected with the several latches 44 by means of springs 46.

Pivoted at 47 to the outsideffaces of 'the side plates 15 are'` rockers -48 provided with anti-friction rQller's 1494' which .co-operate with th, @ams 18; 'f Pivted`at 511m` the inside faces `of the 1plates 15 are latches 52 having'springs 5.3 tending normallyto move the same Ain a clockwise' direction fromthe position shown in Figure 2,'said latches having also laterally turned lips 54 which cooperate with pins 55 on the cams 18. A bail 56 is mounted on 4the Arod 16 andv eX- tends oye'r forwardly projectin horns 281 formed on the lower ends oft eI carrying members 2 8, the forwardly extending sides of said bail being engaged by inwardly turned lips 60 onthe rockers `48 and terminating in hook-shaped `en'ds 560 whichcooperate with laterally offset portions of the latches 52. l 4" f .4 'i' In Figure 2, the `cain 26 is shown the position'occupied therebywhen the adding wheel to which itis attachedis inthe one position; in FigureV 3, when litswheel is in the nine positiong'and in Figures 4`and 5, when said wheel is 'in the"zje'ro position'.

As lshown in Figure 2, each carry; control member 41 is held by its latch 44 in a position intermediate its limits ofy oscillation` with the end 411 of its arm`410 in the position it would occupy were it resting upon one of the cam projections 260 with the correspondin adding wheel 21 inapproximately the eight position; AlVhenso held, thearm 412 permits they corresponding latch" 35 to occupy its operative position in engagement `with the lug 36 of its vcarrying mem er 28. When the adding wheely 21 is rotated forwardly (that is, in a counterclockwise direction asshown in the drawings) intothe nine position, as shown in Figure 3,.one of the cam projections 260 will move or raise the arm 410 beyond the point where it is heldby the latch L44, thereby liftin` the yoke`41 out of engagement with sai latch.` When this occurs, said latch is drawn away from 'said yokeby the spring/46.2 rlfhe'reafter, should thefcam 26 befurther turned into a ositio'n corresponding to the"zero"posit1on of'itsadding-Wheel, as Shown in Fig. 4,the` end' 411 of the arm 410 will` drop from the abrupt shoulder of the cam rprojection 260, causing the spring 61 tolift the finger 412 which,.

by striking the end 42 ofthe projection 43,

disengages the latch 35 from the lug 36 and releases the corresponding carrying member 28. The shape of each finger 412 is such that, when its yoke 41 occupies its normal position as shown in Fig. 2, the operative end of saidinger followssubstantially the ter lpart of said stroke, the adding wheel frame 191s rocked to move all of the gears 22 intof` mesh with their respective racks. Also during the latter part of said stroke, the rollers 49 pass over the projections 180 andonto the high portions 182 of the cams ,18. This causes the rockers 48 to be lifted and, by engagement of the lips 60fthereon 'with the forward ends of the bail 56, to depress the rear end-of the latter and then lift the same slightly.`` Vhen the rear end of `said bail is depressed, engagement thereof Awith ther horn 281 of any previouslyoperated :carrying member 28 causes said member to 'be depressed and locked by its latch 25. Said bail is left in a position with its rear end slightly abovethe horns 281,as shown in F igurel '8, "and is locked in this position by rengagement of its hook-shaped forward ends '560 with-the offset portions of the latches 52, Ay'vhich latchesare drawn into place beneath 'saidends by their springs 53, as shown in j Fi'gures 3 and4. During 4the return stroke Vor clockwise `movement of the shaft 17, the

rack 24 moves downwardly,turning the gear 22 and adding wheel 21 of lowest order, and

as "said adding wheel `passes through the fnine?v and into the Zero position, the corresponding carry control member or yoke 41 is disengaged from its latch 44 and operated by its spring 61` to cause the arm 412 thereof to disengage the latch 35 `from the carrying memberv 28 of the Aadding `wheel of next hi her order,` as above explained. Said carryin'g' member thereupon moves upwards slightly under the influence of its spring 34 until 'the horn 281 thereofl engages the bail 56. Toward the end ofthe return stroke the adding wheel frame 19 is again rocked to move the/gears 22Yout of mesh with 'the racks24 and into engagement with theteeth 280 of the carrying members 28. Thereupon engagement of the pins 55 on the cams 18 with the lips 54 of the latches 52 causes said latches to disengage the ends 560 of the bail 56, releasing the latter and permitting the carrying member 28 corresponding tothe adding` wheel of higher order to move upwardly a, distance limited by the length of the slots 32, which distance is sufficient to advance said number wheel of higher order one space, as shown in Figure 5.

The re-setting of the parts takes place during the succeeding forward or counterclockwise stroke of the shaft 17. As abo-Ve explained, the projections 180 on the cams 18 canse the rockers 48 to be lifted, thereby depressing the rear end oit the bail 56 and resetting any carrying members which may have been operated, said carrying members being automatically locked in their normal positions by their latches 35. When the rockers 48 are lifted, they also engage the extensions 50 of the bail 45, lifting said bail which, by engagement with the latches 44, restores the latter to the position shown in Figure 2, the cam portions 440 of said latches rocking the carry control members or yokes 41 which are thereafter re-engaged by the locking shoulders 441 of said latches.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of means for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order, a member for controlling said carrying means, and means connected with said element of lower order for actuating said member, said member being adapted to permit said carrying means to operate only when it is moved by said actuating means and then released thereby.

2. The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of means for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order, a member for controlling said carrying means, means associated with said element of lower order for moving said member in one direction, and means for moving said member in another direction when released by said first named moving means to cause said carrying means to operate.

The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of means Jfor carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order, a member for controlling said carrying means, means for holding said member in a normal inoperative position, and means associated with said element of lower order for disengaging said member from said holding means and thereafter releasing the same, said member being adapted to permit said carrying means to operate only when released by said disengaging means.

4. The combination with a plurality of registeringelements, of means for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order, a member controlled by said element of lower o-rder and adapted to permit said carrying means to operate only after it has been moved in one direction out of its normal position and then in the opposite direction intoy its operative position, and means for holding said member in a normal, intermediate, inoperative position irrespective oi' the position of said element of lower order.

5. The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of means for carrying from an element of lowerorder to the element of next higher order, means for locking said carrying means against operation, and a member controlled by said element of lower order for unlocking said carrying means, said member acting to unlock said carrying means only when it is moved in one direction by said element and then released thereby.

6. Thel combination with a plurality of registering elements, of means for carrying from one element of lower order to the element of next higher order, means for rlocking said carrying means against operation, a member for unlocking said carrying means, means for moving said member in the direction to unlock said carrying means, means associated with said element of lower order for moving said member in the opposite direction, said carrying means being locked until said member has been moved by said last named moving means to its i'ull extent and then substantially returned by said first named moving means, and means for holding said member in an intermediate inoperative position irrespective of the position of said element kof lower order.

7 The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of means for carrying from an element of lower order to the ele ment of next higher order, means for locking said carrying means against operation, a member for unlocking said carrying means, means for holdin said member in a normal inoperative position, means asso-- ciated with said element of lower order. for moving said member in one direction to disengage the same from said holding means, and means for moving said member in vanother direction when released` by said first named moving means to unlock said carrying means.

8. The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of means for carrying from an element of lower order toI the element of next higher order, means for locking said carrying means against operation, a member for unlockin said carrying means, a latch for restraining said member, and means associated with said element of lower order for unlatching said kmember and permittingl the same to unlock said' carrying means. .4

'9. The combination `with fa plurality of registering elements, of means for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order,means for; locking said carrying means against operation, a member for unlocking said carrying.y means, a latch for restrainin said member, means associated with said e ement of lower order for unlatching said member and permitting the same to unlock said carrying means, and mechanism for restorin said parts to their initial positions after t e operation of said carrying means.

10. The combination with a plurality. of registering elements, of means for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order, a member for controlling said carrying means, a cam carried by said element of lower order for moving said controlling member in one. direction and thereafter releasing the same, and a spring for movin said member in another direction when re eased by said cam to cause the operation of said carrying means.

l11. The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of means for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order ,a member for controlling said car ing means, a latch for holding said mem er in a normal inoperative position, a cam carried by said element of lower order for moving said member in one direction to disengage the same` from said latch, and a -sprin for moving said member in another dlrection when permitted by said cam to `cause said carrying means to operate.

12. The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of means for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order, a member for controlling said carrying means, a latch for holding said member in a normal inoperative position, a cam carried by said element of lower order for moving said member in one direction, to disengage the same from said latch, a spring for moving said member in another direction when permitted by said cam to cause said carrying means to operate, and means for re-engaging said latch with said controlling member, said latch having a cam portion for restoring said member to its normal position.

13. The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of slides co-operating with said elements respectively for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order, springs for operating said slides, latches for locking.

said slides against operation by said sprin s, and controlling members each actuated y an element of lower order for unlocking the slide corresponding Vto the element of next higher order, each of said controlling members operating to unlock its carrying member only when it is moved in one direction by the corresponding element of lower order and then released thereby.

'14. The-combination with a plurality of registering elements, of carrying members associated `with said elements respectively, springs1 for operating said carrying members, latches for locking said members, controlling members for releasing said latches, latches for holding said controlling members in normal inoperative positions, cams carried by said registering elements for moving the respective controlling members in one direction to release the same from their respective. latches, and springs Jfor moving said controlling members in another direction when released by their latches to vcause the same to release said carrying member latches.

15. The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of carrying members associated with said elements respectively for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order, latches for locking the several carrying members against operation, a member controlled by said element of lower order for releasing said latches, said member acting to release said latches only whenit is moved in one direction by said element of lower order and then released thereby, and a bail for re-engaging said carrying members with their respective latches.

16. The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of carrying members associated with said elements respectively for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order, latches for locking the several carrying members against operation, a member actuated by said element of lower order for releasing said latches, said memberacting to release said latches only when it is moved in one direction by said element and then released thereby, a bail for re-engaging said carrying members with their respective latches, and a rocker for operating said bail. f

17. The combination with a plurality of registering elements, of carrying members associated with said elements respectively for carrying from an element of lower order to the element of next higher order, latches for locking the several carrying members against operation, a member actuated by said element of lower order for releasing said latches, said member acting' to release said latches only when it is moved in one direction by said element and then released thereby, a bail Jfor re-engagingsaid carrying members with their respective latches, a rocker for operating said bail, and a latch for holding said bail in a position to permit unlocking of seid carrying members Without permitting operation thereof by their springs'.

18. In. at` register, in combination, a plurality of registering elements, actuators and carrying members for said elements respectively, a rocking Yframe in which said elements are mounted for moving the same into operative engagement With seid actuators `and carrying members alternatively, and e mounted in S21-id frame, and said fingers being. normally concentric With the rocking axis Vof said frame.` 1v e Intestimony 4whereof I aix my sig-V nature. f i

, WILLAM P. QUENTELL. 

